The Boy Behind the Mask
by SSBKaioKen
Summary: Son Gohan got used to living life with a mask. No one ever got to see who the boy behind the mask was ever since the death of his father seven years ago. That is, until a certain pig tailed crime fighter, bubbly blond, and loyal jock enter his life. Will the boy behind the mask ever see the light of day?
1. Chapter 1

**Well, it didn't take me too long to start writing again, I guess I just couldn't keep myself away! After discontinuing Soul of a Phoenix for the near future, I was thinking through some more ideas and I decided that the one thing that really killed my last story was that I couldn't strike a good balance between High School DxD and DBZ. I might revisit that idea in the future once my writing skills have improved, but as of now, I wanted to rework my ideas into a solely DBZ style story, similar to the Soul of a Phoenix but hopefully much more cohesive in plot and character development.**

 **A lot of the beginning will be similar to Soul of a Phoenix, but hopefully this one will last long enough for me to finally push out some OC content.**

 **Without further ado, let's get right into it!**

 **Obligatory Disclaimer: I don't own the Dragon Ball franchise.**

Son Gohan.

The nerdy kid with the timid personality was a sort of an enigma for Videl Satan. She couldn't quite figure out why she so desperately wanted to find out what he was hiding, but regardless of that she needed to know. The secretive nature of the transfer student alongside the mysterious appearance of not only the gold fighter, but also that dork Saiyaman was the perfect concoction for her investigative side to take over.

She watched him from the side of her eyes, trying to detect any clues that could give away his secret. A useless exercise, as for the past four months, she had failed to find even a single shred of evidence strong enough to warrant her suspicions. But Videl Satan wasn't born yesterday. His frequent bathroom breaks that matched up exactly with when she went out to fight crime, or the fact that he lived nearly 300 miles from the city, or even the fact that he had worn exactly the same clothes the gold fighter had worn when they both had made their appearance on that first day, all of these were clues that made the alarms in her mind go off. She knew that the boy who sat two seats to her left, diligently taking notes was not who he said he was. It was only a matter till she figured it out.

* * *

Man, it was hard enough to try and pay attention to what the teacher was saying when you already knew everything, but it was downright impossible to keep his focus on the teacher's monotone voice while Videl stared at him with that suspicious face she made whenever he was around.

He didn't know why she insisted on trying to unearth his every secret. People had a right to privacy didn't they? Especially when his secret was as big as it was. Try explaining to Videl that her father was actually a fraud and his vast financial empire had been erected on a mountain of lies, that in reality it was actually the delivery boy that had defeated the biological monster Cell. He shuddered when he imagined her reaction. Well, not like she was ever going to find out anyways.

"Hey cutie, whatcha thinking about?" The bubbly blond next to Gohan wasn't helping his situation either. "Oh, not much Erasa. I'm just trying to pay attention to the teacher."

"Oh, come on Gohan! It's not like you don't already know all of this! Don't you wanna talk to me?"

"I may already know everything, but I'm willing to bet that you don't 'rasa."

"Oh, who cares about Calculus anyways? How is trying to find the derivative of yada yada yada going to help me as a future fashion designer?"

" and Ms. Rubber! Please, if you must talk, at least make sure you aren't distracting the rest of my class!"

Gohan nodded apologetically at the teacher while the hyperactive blond next to him kept droning on. "So what are you doing today after school? Me, Videl-"

"Videl and I."

"-Whatever. Videl and I and Lily are going out to the mall to shop for a while. I'll probably make Sharpener come with me too so you can have some company if you tag along."

"I don't know…. My mom doesn't really like it when I come home late. I really don't want to make her angry."

"Alright, but you really won't have much of a social life if you always listen to your mom. I'm sure hanging out with your friends isn't a problem."

"If you met her you'd think differently. Anyways, I'll probably be too busy to come anyways. I appreciate the invite though."

Erasa let out a playful sigh. "Oh, if you say so."

She turned back towards her notebook and resumed doodling all over it. Gohan switched his attention back to the teacher, but he didn't really need to. The class bell rang and all of the student got up and collected their belongings as they set off for the lunchroom. Gohan was almost ecstatic at the thought of finally enjoying another of his mom's home cooked meals. Food was the one fool proof method for Gohan to escape from the stress of his life, and as he noticed a certain raven haired crime fighter subtly tailing him, he figured he sorely needed some quality time with his lunch.

He was stopped on the way to the roof by one of his good friends, Sharpener Pencil. "Yo, where do you think you're going Brains? Didn't I tell you just the other day that you eat with me, Videl and 'rasa now?"

Gohan sheepishly scratched at his nape. "Oh yeah, I forgot about that. Sorry Sharp." He really hadn't forgotten, but he just really wanted some alone time. Starting high school had introduced a new chaotic part of his life that he never had before. Sometimes that feeling was too overwhelming for the saiyan boy with a set of underdeveloped social skills.

"Well? Come on we gotta meet the girls."

"Right."

The two guys found three girls sitting under a large oak tree in the middle of the courtyard engrossed in a loud conversation. Gohan recognized Erasa and Videl easily enough, but the third was a little unfamiliar to him. " _What was her name again? Oh that's right, she's Videl's other best friend, Lily"_

Gohan listened in, but quickly lost interest when he realized that they were just talking about some party that was coming up. If it didn't directly involve him, he didn't see why he should care.

Sharpener and Gohan joined the trio of girls, quickly pulling out their lunches. The blond jock watched Gohan's capsule open, leaving behind a feast fit for a king and his army. Sharpener had realized by now that Gohan had an unusually massive appetite, but he still couldn't really comprehend how much his friend truly ate. Sure, he was a heavy eater too, but he came nowhere near Gohan's industrial level of consumption.

Gohan quickly went to work shoveling food in his mouth at a pace that made Lily notice him and make a face of disgust. "Don't you have even a minimal amount of table manners? I knew commoners like you were disgusting, but you seem to take it to another level."

"Ahm sho showry…. I jush eat fash." Replied Gohan with an obviously full mouth. ChiChi had done her best to raise him with a semblance of manners, but today he hadn't eaten breakfast because his morning training session had made him run late. As a result, an extra starving Gohan was a mannerless Gohan, no matter how much restraint he tried to show.

Lips curled up in contempt, the wealthy heiress of the Archer household sneered at him, making no attempts to hide her attitude towards him. "What are you even doing here? I don't recall you ever gaining enough social status to actually be able to sit here with the rest of us."

Gohan shrugged off her underhanded remarks with a grin. "Sharp invited me here. You wanna blame someone you should totally lay it on him."

"So not cool Brains."

Gohan shrugged and threw an indifferent glance at Lily. "If you want, I can leave. I don't mind sitting where I usually do." Truth be told, he had been looking for a reason to escape this situation. He didn't know how much longer he could hold up the facade of confidence he had on right now.

"Oh Lily, stop giving the poor boy such a hard time! So what if his eating habits are a little…. Strange?" Chirped Erasa. Gohan felt his hopes disappear, but he was glad that at least one of his friends was sticking up for him. Now if he could just get Videl to stop staring at him like that, maybe he could actually enjoy his lunch today.

"Hey Lils. What are you doing over here? We usually eat lunch with the rest of the team."

Or not.

Lily looked up and caught the gaze of her boyfriend, fellow resident elitist of Orange Star High School, Will Masters. Gohan didn't really feel too strongly about him, but he knew that Will absolutely despised everyone that didn't share his social status. This was going to be a great lunch he could just tell.

"Oh, just wanted to eat lunch with Videl and Erasa today. If you want, you can join us. I'm sure Sharpener would love some company." Gohan really appreciated how she just left him out, but it wasn't anything he wasn't already used to. "Well, I've overstayed my welcome. I'll um, I'll just go eat where I usually do."

He capsulized his lunch and took it with him as he strolled back towards the roof. Videl watched him go, but once he was out of sight she turned back to her two best friends and joined the conversation once again.

* * *

Gohan quickly made his way to the roof, decapsulating what was left of his lunch. He sat down with a faint smile on his face. This, was how he prefered to spend his lunches. He sat cross legged and started digging into his food, going as fast as he wanted to without holding back. He stopped eating once he heard the door close behind him and a couple footsteps approached him. He shifted his gaze to find Sharpener approaching him with his own lunch in his hand.

"I don't know how Videl and Erasa can stand to be around those stuck up assholes all the time. It's too suffocating whenever they're around yanno?" Gohan let out a slight nod as his friend sat down next to him. "Well, at least they like you. They treat me like I don't exist."

"Yeah, that's a total dick move. I dunno why they feel like they can push everyone around just because they have money. The only reason they get along with us is cause Videl, 'rasa, and I all come from wealthy families too."

"Let's talk about something else. It doesn't do either of us any good to get all worked up about that."

Sharpener grinned at his thoughtful friend. "Yeah, fuck em. You know, I've always wanted to see which one of us could eat faster.. I'm not exactly a slouch myself."

Gohan grinned at the blond next to him. "You don't know what you're getting yourself into Sharp."

"Yeah, yeah I know you eat fast, but so do I."

It was safe to say, Sharpener didn't even come close.

* * *

After lunch had ended, Gohan had a free period. He was flying over to Satan Cty University today to help out his mentor, Dr. Landry. They had met on Gohan's first day nearly four months ago, and every day since, the half saiyan would fly over to the university lab to help out the scientist as he conducted his research and experiments. Besides Sharpener, the doctor had been the only other real friend Gohan had made since he had first started attending Orange Star

He landed at the entrance of the lab, cautious to make sure nobody witnessed the teen drop out of the sky. He opened the door and shuffled down the hallway, excited to get started on a new experiment the doctor had been working on. For the past four months, the doctor had been working on the preparations for an experiment. Every time Gohan had inquired about what the experiment's purpose really was, the doctor just grinned and shook his head.

Today, Gohan was sure he would finally find out what it was the doctor had worked so diligently on for the past four months. He entered the lab and spotted the doctor bent over one of his prototypes. "Hey doctor, how have you been?"

There was no response from the doctor, who was obviously concentrated solely on his work. Gohan chuckled, walking up and tapping him on the shoulder.

"Almost done, Son. Why don't you go and get ready for the experiment. I'll just finish up here."

Gohan smiled at the doctor calling him Son. He still didn't know whether it was because it was his last name, or if the doctor viewed him as his own son. When he had asked, the doctor had just given him a sly grin. He had a habit of doing that.

He threw on a lab coat over his school uniform and took his place behind the blast doors. He watched the doctor finish up his preparations and join him. "Well, I suppose I should finally tell you why we've been working on this endeavour as long as we have."

Gohan nodded at his mentor, displaying a calm demeanor while he almost burst from excitement inside.

"Do you recall those mysterious fighters that had fought at the Cell games? The ones that fought that monster before the cameras cut out and Mr. Satan saved the world? Well I never bought Satan's story. In fact, I believe that it was actually one of those fighters, or maybe even a cumulation of them that defeated Cell. Namely, I believe it was the delivery boy."

Gohan managed to suppress his alarm at the doctor's intuition. " _You have no idea how right you are doc."_

"I wanted to replicate the immense power displayed by those fighters and Cell. Could you imagine the applications of such limitless energy? Our reliance of fossil fuels would end, we could provide free electricity to those in developing countries, we could revolutionize the world! This experiment is the first step towards that goal. Hopefully, we can successfully replicate the power of the gold fighters. Oh, I'm so excited!"

"U-Um Doc? I don't know if that's such a great idea. I mean, the power they showed at the Cell games was so destructive, what if something were to happen?" Gohan clearly didn't want anyone to investigate the existence of ki. There may be a lot of possibilities, but in the wrong hands, that power could destroy human civilization!

"Nonsense, Son! No great man ever received their recognition without taking a few risks! You and I, we'll be the pioneers of a new era, one where we can truly live in a peaceful utopia. We must do this, regardless of the risks!"

"A-Alright, but please be careful Doc."

The doctor waved off his concern, pressing the button and starting the contraption. A particle beam shot out of the emitter, striking a chunk of metal and liquifying it. The liquid seeped down a set of tubes, mixing with several chemicals before collecting in the same chamber. A Bunsen burner evaporated the concoction and the fumes travelled through another tube, running through an electrically charged ring, before recollecting in another chamber which was then frozen. The resulting googathered in the final chamber. Landry removed the chamber and set it on another platform and retreated behind the blast doors yet again. Another particle beam struck the goo, causing a combustion that rocked the entire room.

The flash temporarily blinded both scientists, but once their eyes readjusted, one of them was filled with immense happiness, the other with a feeling of dejectedness. The experiment had failed to yield any results. Gohan breathed out a sigh of relief, while Dr. Landry stared at the floor in defeat.

"Well I suppose we still have work to do Son."

"You'll get it eventually Doc."

"You'd better hurry back to your class, I'll clean up here."

Gohan hung his lab coat back on a ring and exited the lab in a hurry. He still couldn't get over the fact that Dr. Landry had been working on ki this entire time. He let out a stressed sigh. At least he would be there to make sure nothing went awry. He checked his watch. Almost time for english. He figured he could deal with this particular problem later. For now, he just had to brave the rest of his day at Orange Star.

* * *

The monotone voice of the english teacher reverberated around the room, but few students were actively paying wasn't one of them. His gaze drifted over to Videl, making contact with her azure eyes. He flinched, rapidly turning his head and looking straight at his notebook. He could see Videl raising an amused eyebrow at his reaction, but he was too nervous to relax. He didn't know why, but everything that girl did set him on edge for some reason.

Her watch started beeping rapidly, signaling a crime that needed her attention. She glanced at her teacher, who gave her the ok signal to go do her thing. Gohan waited for her to rush out of the classroom before standing up.

"Um, ca-"

"Yes, Gohan. You may use the restroom."

"Oh, um…. thank you very much!" With that, he rushed out of the class like a madman. He made his way to the roof, stepping out onto it and catching a glimpse of Videl's jetcopter lift off and head in the direction of the crime. He pressed the button on his watch, his Saiyaman uniform engulfing him. Fully clothed in his signature crime fighting gear, Saiyaman blasted off in hot pursuit of Videl.

* * *

Videl was staking out a hostage situation from her vantage point of a nearby roof. Apparently, a paramilitary force had abducted the mayor and the city council, holding them hostage in the city hall. The police chief had told her over the comm that they demanded an audience with Hercule Satan, probably so they could try to kill the champ and steal the title of strongest in the world. In other words, a normal Friday. " _Hmm…. Two gunmen on the roof, three on the second floor with the hostages, and five on the ground floor watching the police. If I go in from the roof it would be much easier, but the problem is getting to the roof."_

"Need some help?"

Of course. Leave it to Saiyajerk to show up exactly when he was needed.

"If you get me on to that roof without being noticed, maybe I won't try to unmask you today."

"Tempting proposition, Miss Videl, but I would've helped you out anyway. Leave it to me." He grabbed her arm and put two fingers to his forehead, instantly transporting the duo to the City halls roof. Gohan thanked his lucky stars he had been able to manage to learn Instant Transmission by himself. Then again, who needs luck when you're a child prodigy?

Videl slapped his hand which had still been holding on to her. "You didn't have to hold on me for so long, you pervert."

"P-P-Pervert? You've got it all wrong!" Saiyaman blushed, making Videl snicker.

"Alright, you costumed freak. I'm gonna go take out these posers by myself alright? I don't need or want your help got it?"

"That was really hurtful Miss Videl."

"Good." she scrambled out towards the first gunman, chopping at his neck and knocking him out silently. She scampered across the roof and jumped on a power generator, stalking the last gunman like a lioness stalking a gazelle in the serengeti. The crime fighter leapt onto the gunman, kneeing him in the head and knocking him out cold as well.

She glanced back at where Gohan was hiding, motioning him to stay put, albeit with a much more vulgar hand symbol. He mustered enough courage to give her a thumbs up, resulting in her staring daggers at him. She entered the building through a ceiling window. He waited for her to disappear before swiftly following her down the hatch.

He landed on his feet in a narrow corridor that led to a room at the end of the hallway. He could hear the sounds of gunfire and yells, signaling that Videl hadn't waited before going in. Figures. He dashed down the hall and threw himself at the nearest gunman, catching him by surprise as both of them fell over. Gohan landed on top of the criminal, who was obviously no longer in any shape to fight. He dusted himself off and looked up, only to encounter who he presumed was the mastermind of the crime. The bald man wore a twisted grin on his face as he stepped up to Gohan.

"Well well, looks like the plan worked." He motioned to where Videl lay on the floor unconscious. "The tramp rushed in here guns blazing exactly like I knew she would. She didn't last too long, obviously. Our actual plan was to get you, Saiyaman."

He took off his jacket and cackled as Gohan noticed a countdown timer strapped to his chest. " _Shit. Three seconds."_ Gohan grabbed the man, using him as a battering ram as he carried the two of them through the wall at inhuman speed. He covered as much of the bomb as possible with his body.

The bomb exploded harmlessly in the air, killing the crook. Gohan checked himself for any injuries, only to find that the whole front of his suit had been blown off by the explosion. Using Instant Transmission, the demi saiyan vanished before anyone could get a glimpse of his true identity.

* * *

"Well, I can recreate the original suit, or create a new one. Your choice kiddo." The suit had been damaged beyond repair, so Bulma decided to make a new one for Gohan.

"Umm…. I think I prefer the ol-"

"NO!" Cried Trunks, who had been watching the conversation unfold until then. Gohan if you actually want people to like you, you need a cool costume. Not whatever that piece of sh- I mean, poop is!"

"People don't like Saiyaman?"

"Everyone thinks he's waaaaay to dorky. Besides, you're so cool when you're just Gohan, why can't you be the same way when you're a superhero?"

"Ok, what should I do to look cooler?"

"I'll go and get some of my doodles for mom so she can make your new suits while I give you some tips on being a cool guy." The cocky kid scrambled up to his room in excitement, leaving Gohan and Bulma alone.

"I can't believe the suit you gave me made everyone think I was dorky."

"It's not like those strange dance-routines you did all the time were doing you any favors."

"Ouch."

The lavender haired demi-saiyan reappeared with a drawing in his hand. Here, mom. I drew it extra well so when this day finally came you knew exactly what to make." He grabbed Gohan's arm and led him into the other room, leaving a dumbfounded Bulma staring at his drawing. "He really didn't like the old suit, huh?"

* * *

In the other room Trunks chattered away to Gohan. "Ok, so first things first, your name is too weird. Saiyaman is soooo dorky. You wanna sound cool, name yourself the Super Saiyan. You don't have to do it, but it adds a nice touch and nobody knows what it is, so you should be fine. Second, for the love of Dende, stop doing those ridiculous dance moves! A superhero fights, he doesn't dance! And last, but this is actually the most important, stop talking about justice and morals or whatever. You know who you should be more like? Gohan. He always says such cool stuff whenever he fights. Not those sh- I mean, poopy speeches about doing the right thing. I mean, who cares?"

"So you want me to be myself?"

"Exactly!"

"But won't people figure out my identity then?"

"If they do, just let me know. I'll scare them so bad they'll never say anything to anyone."

"I don't think I'll do that, but I guess I could be more like myself. Thanks Trunks, I'm glad someone told me. Although, I think I'll keep Saiyaman as the name."

"That's ok as long as you make sure you do the other two things. Now let's talk about who your sidekick should be. Someone strong, smart, preferably purple hair, their name has to rhyme with drunks…."

"You're not gonna be my sidekick Trunks."

"It was worth a shot."

Bulma stepped into the room with a grin on her face. "I'm done! Trunks, your design was actually very well thought out sweetie. I'm sooo proud of you! Gohan, I think you'll really like this new design." She handed him his watch.

He pressed the button on the timepiece and Trunks almost cried tears of jealousy. Gohan wore a black short sleeved under shirt under a black robe similar to the green one on his old suit. However, the new robe reached up to his neck, with the collar wrapping about an inch about his neck. The edges of the robe had a gold trimming and a white line ran down the middle of his chest with Golden pins running down the line to keep the robe fastened together. Two gold lines ran down his chest on either side of the white line and the Kanji of Piccolo's demon clan was embroidered on his left chest right where his heart was. A Golden colored belt held together his robe and baggy white pants covered his legs. He wore black boots with golden highlights. He wore black fingerless gloves on his hands, and to top it all off, a black balaclava covered everything on his face from the nose down.

The new suite looked more like a ceremonial gi than a crime fighting superhero suit, but even Gohan had to admit as he checked himself in the mirror, he looked badass.

"I upgraded the material as well. Don't want anymore incidents ruining your suit! The fabric is actually a microfiber made up of an alloy containing Titanium and steel. The boots and gloves have pieces of titanium sewed in to pack a little extra punch. I added the balaclava for a little extra concealment for your face, but you should probably go super whenever you fight crime, just in case."

Gohan grinned at his godmother appreciatively. "Thanks Bulma, this is fantastic."

Trunks circled around the older saiyan with his fingers to his chin, examining the suit. He stopped in front of Gohan and folded his arms in a very Vegeta-like manner. "Gohan, you should know that I take it very personally when people don't take my advice. I hope for your sake you do what I told you to do." Gohan chuckled and turned super, catching the younger saiyan off guard. He picked up Trunks by the hem of his gi and smirked at him. "Or you'll do what?"

Trunks grinned. "That's exactly what you should be like when you fight crime! If I were a criminal I woulda peed my pants!"

Gohan set him down and pressed the button on his watch, changing back to his normal school uniform. "Anyways, I should probably get going now. Thanks again for everything you two! Tell Vegeta I said hi!" He put two fingers to his forehead, using his dad's signature technique to transport him back to the Son household.

* * *

His arrival didn't go unnoticed for long. His younger brother Goten tackled him to the ground within seconds of his arrival, the little Goku look alike chattering away about how he had spent his day wandering the forests of Mount Paozu. Chi Chi found her two sons on the ground in the front yard engaged in a very exciting conversation. She smiled at how adorable her two boys looked. " _Oh Goku, if only you were her to see this."_

Gohan picked up Goten and carried him into the house where Chi Chi set the table for his after school "snack". The two boys continued their conversation while simultaneously gorging on the delicious food in front of them. "Bulma gave me a new suit to wear today when I fight crime."

The statement got Goten's full attention, the hyper eight year old begged his brother to show it to him. "Please please pleaaaase can I see it?"

"Alright, alright. I'll let you take a good look at it." Gohan pressed the button on his watch, transforming into his new Saiyaman suit to Goten's amazement. "Woah Gohan! I thought the last suit was cool, but this one is even cooler! Can me and Trunks be your sidekicks?"

"No can do squirt, mom would never let me say yes to that."

Chi Chi nodded in agreement. "Of course I wouldn't. Little boys should spend their days hitting the books. Fighting crime is a grown man's job."

Goten sat down dejectedly, but his frown instantly vanished when he noticed all the food that was left. "Oh oh! I call dibs! Trunks says whenever you call dibs, you get to keep whatever you called it on! That means I get aaaaall of the food." He stuck his tongue out at an amused but slightly saddened Gohan who stared longingly at the food.

Chi Chi giggled at the face her oldest son was making. "Don't feel bad Gohan, I'll make extra food tonight for dinner. Now why don't you go finish your homework?"

* * *

Gohan lay in bed after dinner. He finished his homework in an hour, sending the rest of his free time training with Goten. Dinner had been extra large as Chi Chi had promised, much to the delight of the two boys. Now, Gohan tried to get some sleep, but he was just too busy trying t digest the vents that had unfolded during the day. First, Videl wouldn't stop staring at him like that, which was nothing new, but uncomfortable nonetheless. Then, Dr. Landry revealed that he was going to try and replicate ki, which was unnerving to say the least, but things got better when he got his new suit. He sighed and made himself comfortable in the bed. Hopefully he would get some sleep tonight.

* * *

 **For anyone that read Soul of a Phoenix before this, you'll recognize the reappearance of Dr. Olson Landry. I have a lot of things I want to try that I never got too in the last story, and I can already tell that this story definitely got a much better start.**

 **Let me know how you felt about this chapter in the reviews!**

 **SSBKaioKen**


	2. Chapter 2

**Guest: I was actually going to address this, so I'm glad you brought it up. THIS STORY IS IN NO WAY CONNECTED TO MY PREVIOUS STORY. I'm using many of the same story arcs that I would've used for the last one, so I can understand the confusion.**

 **Obligatory Disclaimer: I own nothing**

Goten lay lifelessly cradled in Gohan's arms. The corpse of the Goku look alike lay limp and bloody as Gohan sobbed. Gohan frantically tried to wake up his brother, desperate for ny signs of life. "Goten. Goten wake up! Come one you have to wake up! Please!"

"Crying over your younger brother? I always knew you were a wimp." The familiar sounding voice prompted Gohan to lift his tear stained face and gaze at where it came from. Videl stood in front of him with a sneer on her face. She was flanked by Lily on one side, and Will on the other. All three teenagers stared at him with disgust.

"W-Why did you do this? Why did you kill him!?"

"Oh Gohan, how stupid of you to think that we killed him! No. It was really _you_ Gohan. You didn't save him. You let him down."

More and more figures appeared behind the trio. 18, Krillin, Piccolo, Bulma, Vegeta, even his own mother. "You let all of us down you stupid boy."

"N-No! I didn't mean for any of that to happen! I'm so sorry!"

The figures in front of him slowly withered away, all of them replaced by a single figure. His spiked hair arced upwards, his kind face contorted in a scowl. Son Goku sneered at his son. "You killed me. And for that, you should pay!"

Goku's face contorted along with the rest of his form. Golden locks were replaced by two antena like protrusions. The blue and orange gi morphed into a green and black body. Two wings jutted off its back. A very familiar bio android remained where his father had stood, a smirk on his face. "You failed to save him Gohan. You're just as bad as me."

Tears welled in his eyes as he collapsed in defeat. "I'm so sorry….. Please forgive me."

"Why?"

Gohan looked at where Goten lay in his hands. The young boys innocent eyes gazed at his older brother in confusion. Gohan looked back up and realized he was back in his bedroom, with a very much alive and a very much confused Goten in his arms.

"Mommy told me to wake you up, but when I tried to, you just grabbed me and started shaking me like a weirdo!"

Gohan scratched the back of his neck, relieved. " _Thank god it was just a dream."_

"Umm….Big brother?"

"Eh? Oh right, sorry 'bout that squirt." Gohan released his younger brother, who scampered back downstairs. "Better hurry or mommy's gonna bring out the frying pan!"

At the thought of that, Gohan scrambled off his bed and rushed to his bathroom to start his morning routine.

Gohan cruised in the sky above Satan City on his way to school. He scanned the ground for any signs of criminal activity, not noticing a yellow jetcopter sneak up behind him. The sound of the helicopters blades caught his attention, he turned his head in the direction of the noise. Videl stared back at masked hero with a suspicious frown.

"And who are you supposed to be? Saiyaman's sidekick?"

"Ah Miss Videl! It's a beautiful morning don't you think?"

"Beautiful morning aside, what's another costumed clown doing in my city huh?"

Gohan's super hearing detected police sirens wailing in the distance. He shot off in their direction, leaving behind a raging Videl.

Videl's comm came to life, the police chief updating her with a new crime. "Videl, I've got an armed terrorist situation on the Pearl bridge, a group of thirty planted a bomb on the bridge and are in a firefight with the authorities. Multiple civilians are caught in the crossfire."She let out a frustrated sigh and raced after him in the direction of the bridge.

Gohan arrived within a minute and landed behind the police barricade next to the police chief.

"What's going on."

"Who are you? Don't tell me the Gold fighter's making a comeback."

"It's Saiyaman. What's going on and how can I help?"

"So the gold fighter and Saiyaman are the same person. Neat outfit by the way. Some lowlifes are holed up in the bridge with a bomb. We don't know when it's going to go off and there's still plenty of civilians stuck between our lines and if that wasn't bad enough, This damn smoke is making it damn near impossible to push forward!."

"I see. Tell your men to cease fire. I'll disarm the bomb. Just make sure not to shoot any civilians that are coming towards your lines."

"Ahem." A furious Videl stood behind the two men with her arms crossed. "I'm sorry chief but whoever this fool is, he's an idiot if he thinks he can do this by himself. Only Saiyaman and I could even manage such a thing. I'll be the one disarming the bomb. Just make sure the clown doesn't get in the way."

"Um Videl, he's actually Saiy-"

"I'M DISARMING THE BOMB!"

"O-Ok whatever you say Miss Videl…."

Gohan raised his eyebrow at the petite crime fighter. Obviously she was too blinded by her irritation to strategize properly. 'Alright Miss Videl, go on ahead. I'll make sure not to be a detriment to the situation."

"Piss off." She darted past the barricade into the smoke. Gohan sighed, counting to three before taking off after her, leaving behind a slightly shaken police chief.

* * *

Videl moved from cover to cover, using her outstanding agility to catapult over a destroyed car and landing on a gunman. She scrambled to another car before a hail of bullets landed on where she had just been standing. The man she had left behind didn't even stand a chance, letting out a strangled groan before falling limp. Videl closed her eyes at the grisly scene. She could never get over the death of someone, even though she fought crime every day.

She gave herself a moment before reopening her eyes and spotting two terrorists approaching her position. She used the low visibility of the smoke around her to catch the men off guard. She slid under the legs of one, getting up and kicking his head. She flipped out of the second gunman's path of fire, picking up a handful of dirt and throwing it at his face, blinding him. She rushed him, pushing him to the bridge and hoisting him over. The screaming man landed in the water where he was swiftly apprehended by the authorities.

A child's scream caught the attention of Videl, who sprinted in its direction. She crouched behind a car and peered through its broken windows. A family of four huddled together while a terrorist held a gun at them. Two others flanked him, both carrying heavy armor and miniguns.

She tried to work out a plan, but her frustration kept clouding her mind. She vaulted over the wreck and tackled one of the shooters. The two tumbled to the ground, with Videl managing to grab a knife from his waist belt and plunged it into his thigh. He let out a scream and punched her in desperation, his powerful fist throwing her off of him. His two friends aimed their weapons at her with sick grins on their face. "I bet you wish you were faster than a speeding bullet right now, you whore."

Both of them pulled the trigger, and Videl squeezed her eyelids shut in anticipation. When nothing happened, she slowly opened her eyes and saw the masked clown standing over the two gunmen. "Too bad for you, I _am_ faster than a speeding bullet." His gruff voice filled them with visible fear as he picked both of them by their collars. He nodded at the family to escape, watching them rush off towards the police lines. He turned towards Videl, concern filling his eyes. "Are you alright?"

"I would've been fine."

His eyes switched alarmingly fast, frustration replacing concern. "Shut up and learn to take help when you need it." The blond fighter strode past her and chucked the two terrified terrorists over the bridge. He turned back towards her, his eyes still radiating anger. "You'd be well served waiting for me to take care of the rest."

His face would've terrified most people, but Videl Satan wasn't like most people. "Oh yeah? Or what?"

He sighed and looked away. "I'm not going to make you wait here. But you'd better not get in my way."

The nerve of him. Just because he flew around with a fancy costume and a weird hairdo didn't give him the right to talk to her like that! She was Videl fucking Satan! "I'll do what I want! You'd better not get in _my_ way!"

He didn't respond, instead choosing to point his arm in the direction of the billowing smoke. He let out a shout, sending a kiai wave to put out all of the fires and dissipate the smoke. The bridge was now visible for all to see.

All of the terrorists concentrated their fire on the lone man who stood in front of them, their lines roaring with fire. The super saiyan strode forward confidently, bullets burning up in his aura as it intensified. He walked up to the nearest gunman, his killing intent freezing the man. Gohan flicked his forehead, sending him flying over the edge of the bridge. Gohan scanned the bridge after successfully intimidating the rest of the criminals. His enhanced vision spotted the bomb twenty yards from him. He shot forward, reappearing right next to it.

He picked up the bomb, looking for a hatch to open when one of the gunmen, the leader he presumed, trotted forward with a grin. "Careful, that bomb is super sensitive! Hold it too tight, and it'll go off! There's no stopping it!"

Videl scrunched her eyebrows in frustration. " _We're screwed."_

Gohan eyed him lazily. He picked up the bomb nonchalantly and ascended above the bridge. He stopped thirty feet above the bridge, holding the bomb out with one hand for all to see. Satan City came to a standstill as news cameras relayed the scene across the city.

Gohan formed a rod of ki in his right hand. He threw a lazy glance at the shocked terrorists before turning his head to Videl and winking. Her cheeks flushed at his gesture as she waited for his next move.

He tossed the bomb up, and as it fell down, he slammed it with the ki rod, forcing it to explode. Athe explosion rocked the skies above the city as its residents waited with bated breaths. The smoke dissipated, revealing the masked warrior with his hands in his pockets as if nothing happened. The city let out its collective breath and Videl could just sense a beaming grin under the warrior's mask. She couldn't help but be impressed by the mysterious new fighter. He had everything Saiyaman had, but his demeanor, it had something more to it. She couldn't explain it, but at least he wasn't as annoying as that jerk Saiyaman. Speaking of that annoying clown, where was he?

"Everyone calm down! We can still do this!" The leader of the terrorists yanked out his rifle and opened fire at the police. Gohan didn't give him the satisfaction of taking lives, placing himself in the path of the bullets as he caught them. He opened his palm, revealing a pile of crushed bullets. Gohan's eyes flashed with rage as he became a blur, dashing through the bridge, disarming and knocking out the rest of the gunmen.

He reappeared in front of Videl with the leader in his hand. "Make sure he lives behind bars the next of his life." She glanced at the shaken up terrorist. Bruises dotted his body and he whimpered weakly. "What the hell was that?"

"What are you talking about?"

"A-All of it! You're telling me that you're just as strong as Saiyaman? Who are you?"

Before Gohan could answer, the police chief jogged over with a smile on his face. "I don't know how you guys keep doing it, but that was incredible! It's reassuring that Satan City has Saiyaman and Videl Satan always protecting it!"

"But Chief, Saiyaman isn't here?"

"What do you mean? Saiyaman is right….I guess he left."

Videl looked around and realized he was gone. " _Since when did Saiyaman get cool?"_

* * *

Gohan sat in his seat with his head on his desk, radiating an aura of "leave me alone". Erasa eyed him nervously, wondering what happened to the usually cheerful boy. The blond spotted Videl enter the classroom with a look of frustration on her face. The gears in the blond's heads started churning.

Gohan is mad

Videl is mad

Therefore, something happened between Gohan and Videl.

She waited for Videl to take her seat before nudging her and getting her attention. "Did something happen between you and Gohan?" Whispered Erasa.

"What? No! It's nothing 'rasa."

"So then why do you look so frustrated?"

"It's Saiyajerk again. He got some new outfit and all of a sudden he's like a completely new person! Like the old persona was just an act and this is the real him….I just can't figure him out!"

"Oh I saw that! He looked so hot in his new get up. You should make a move Vi!"

"In your dreams E."

The rest of the class passed uneventfully. Lunch arrived, albeit at a snail's pace for Gohan. He trudged to his usual spot at the roof, Sharpener tagging along with him. Videl spotted the duo heading to their spot and decided to trail them.

She moved silently, crouching behind and AC unit and watched as Gohan and Sharpener took their seats. 'Yo Gohan. What's up with you today?"

"Eh? Oh it's just a bad dream I had."

"What was it about?"

"My dad….I made a mistake back when Cell was alive. It cost him his life."

"I'm sorry."

"Don't be. It's just a reminder that I should be the one who's sorry."

Videl frowned. She didn't know Gohan was hiding something this big. She kept listening as Gohan continued.

"Sharp, I'm only telling you this because I trust and respect you."

"I understand. What's said on the roof, stays on the roof. But just remember that if you keep your regrets with you all your life, you're not actually living. Your dad doesn't regret a single thing. So why should you?"

Gohan pondered Sharpener's comment. "You're right. But on some level, I don't know if I can ever forget."

"Then don't. But you should try to move on and live your life."

"..."

"Anyways, we should talk about something else."

"Yeah that's a good idea."

Gohan's request made Videl feel a pang of guilt. She wasn't supposed to be here, eavesdropping on Gohan as he revealed his dark past, but something in her just wouldn't let her give it up. She noticed as Gohan's demeanor started getting better as he started playfully conversing with Sharpener. He wasn't timid or bashful, rather he was playful and funny. She had to admit she liked this side of him way better. She wondered why he had never seen him this comfortable in the four months she had known him.

She stepped out of her hiding place and approached the two boys, who were engrossed in a conversation about their physics class. "There you two are! I've been looking all over for you guys!"

She noticed Gohan visibly tense up, his walls going back up once she made her presence known. "Oh, hey Videl. Gohan and I just like to eat up here rather than with Lily and Will. Sorry, I forgot to tell you."

She frowned at Sharpener's response. "I didn't know didn't like those two. I thought you and Will got along."

"Well, I prefer to associate with people who aren't elitist snobs" He motioned towards Gohan, who was silently nibbling on his lunch.

"Oh come on, Will and Lily aren't that bad, I wouldn't be their best friend if they weren't."

"Well then you clearly don't see it."

"Sharpener, don't be like that. Why don't you two come and join the rest of us for lunch?"

Sharpener opened his mouth to respond, but Gohan interrupted him. "I'd rather not."

"Yeah? Well I don't recall asking you! So what about it Sharpener?"

"I'm with brains on this one. I'd like to keep my sanity."

Videl's eyes narrowed at the two. True, it looked like the two genuinely enjoyed being up here without the rest of them, and it was also true that they always seemed way more subdued around Will and Lily, but Videl always got her way. And she wanted all of them to sit together in one place for lunch.

"Well if you insist….I'll be right back." She trotted off, stubbornly determined to get her way.

Gohan turned towards Sharpener with an indifferent glance. "She's going to bring them all up here yanno."

"Yeah, I figured as much. What do you say we do?"

"I'm thinking we leave before they come back. The less I have to deal with any of them, the better." Sharpener nodded, grabbing his lunch. Gohan decapsulated his lunch and followed him out the door.

Videl arrived back on the roof, followed by Erasa, Lily, and Will. She rounded the corner, only to find nothing there. "Yo Videl? I thought you said Sharp was here?"

"He was, but I guess they finished their lunch early." Videl had already been having a rough day, but she was just getting angrier and angrier.

" _Who the hell do they think they are? Ever since he started hanging out with Gohan, all Sharpener does is avoid us. Soon enough he'll realize that the nerd's just a waste of time and come crawling back."_

* * *

Sharpener and Gohan sat down under the now vacant oak tree with grins on their faces. "Oh, how the tables have turned! That was a good call Gohan!"

"Sharp….I just want to thank you for sticking by me."

"Of course man, I genuinely like chilling with you. That's more than I can say about Videl and her group nowadays."

The two grinned at each other and finished their lunch in a comfortable silence. The bell rang, signaling for the students to continue to their next class. Gohan stood up, his lunch now safely in his pocket. "I'll see you later Sharp."

"I'll see you in English bro." The duo split off in different directions. Gohan strode off around the corner, making sure nobody was watching him. He pushed the button on his watch and transformed into Saiyaman.

The blond warrior shot off in the direction of Satan University to go meet up with Dr. Landry for their daily session. He arrived at the front of the building and tried to open the door, only to find it locked. He noticed a sign next to the door, it read-

 _Unfortunately we won't be able to hold our daily meet up today, I have important business to attend to regarding our recent trials involving the Gold fighter's energy that should take the next week or so to finish. I look forward to getting back in the lab with you soon, Son._

Gohan frowned at the sign. " _Now what am I supposed to do for the next hour?"_ He transformed back into his Saiyaman suit and flew off on the lookout for any crimes going on.

As he was cruising above the skies of Satan City, a yellow jetcopter raced past him in the direction of a crime. He changed his course, lazily tailing the jetcopter at a safe distance as it descended onto a burning tower. He dropped out of the sky and hovered above the building, watching Videl scramble out of the aircraft and descend into the building.

" _I guess I'll just let her take this one."_ He folded his arms across his chest and used his ki sensing abilities to analyze the situation. Three ki signatures besides Videl were stuck inside the building. Two of them resembled human children, and the last resembled a teenager. He sensed Videl approach the two kids and grab them easily enough. However, the three signatures stopped moving halfway to the exit, signaling something was blocking them. " _Looks like I'm up."_

* * *

Videl coughed as she frantically searched for a way to get the two kids in her hands to safety. She had torn up her shirt and given it to both of them to hold over their mouth and nose to prevent from inhaling soot. However, that left her skin exposed to the ash and heat, forcing her to overheat. She grabbed the wood beam blocking their exit and tried to lift it with all her might. To her surprise, the beam lifted easily, allowing the kids to scramble past it and reach the roof. However, there was no way for her to get there without dropping the beam and crushing herself.

"Hey! You realize I'm the one holding up the beam right?"

The familiar voice made her jump and lose her grip n the beam. Remarkably, the wood didn't immediately fall and crush her, rather she saw Sayaman standing over her, supporting the beam with one hand.

He tossed aside the wood and picked her up bridal style and carried her to safety on the roof. Once they joined the two kids on the roof, Gohan took off his outer robe and handed it to Videl, telling her to put it on and cover herself up. Thank god for his mask, or else she would've noticed him blushing furiously at the sight of her in just a sports bra.

Videl tried not to stare at his skin tight undershirt. It did nothing to hide his incredibly sculpted body. She really wished she had his mask, because it was impossible to stop blushing when the body of a greek god stared back at her.

"There's still one more person inside. I'll be right back." Saiyaman turned around and sped inside, leaving Videl and the two kids alone on the roof. She spent the next couple of minutes calming down the children and checking them for any burns or injuries. Luckily, neither of them had been injured. She shifted her focus to her own body. She slipped off the robe and checked her abdomen for burns. There were several nasty splotches on her back and her stomach, and an especially large one on her shoulder.

The sound of approaching footsteps alerted her to Gohan's presence. He was holding a familiar brunette in his arms as she stared up at him, obviously in shock. "C-Can you just put on the robe please?"

Noticing Saiyaman flustered by her lack of clothes amused Videl to no end. "I would, but these damn burns make it impossible for me to wear anything."

"I can fix that. H-Hold on." He set down the brunette, who Videl recognized as a girl from their school, Angela. She reluctantly let go of him, but she didn't stop staring nonetheless. He pulled a little green bean out of his pocket and handed it to Videl. "Just eat this."

She eyed the bean suspiciously, before popping it in her mouth and chewing it. It tasted funny, but she watched wide eyed as her burns started to shrink. "W-What the hell!"

"They're called Senzu beans, and they can heal almost any injury."

"Where can I get some more of these?

"Erm….They're super rare in fact you just ate my last one."

Videl scrutinized the demi-saiyan, clearly not buying his claim. "Whatever."

Angela sensed that this was the perfect opportunity to "repay" her savior. "Oh Saiyaman, if you hadn't saved me from that fire, I definitely would've been a goner….so how about we go somewhere a little more secluded so I can repay you?" She said with a suggestive tone.

" _Wow….She just barely survived a fire, and she's already flirting with her savior! I should've known this bitch was a tramp."_ Videl didn't know why she was getting so worked up over Angela flirting with Saiyaman, but his reaction definitely didn't help.

"Oh it's quite alright Miss…."

"Angela."

"Right! Well, Miss Angela, I don't charge for my services! Just seeing the smiles of the people I saved is enough payment for me!" Gohan lapsed back into his old Saiyaman voice and he resisted the urge to break out into a Ginyu Force Routine.

" _Well if I had any doubts about whether he was Saiyaman or not, this pretty much confirms it."_ Videl visibly cringed at Gohan's behavior while Angela let out a flirty giggle.

"Well, it would really put a smile on my face if you would…." She whispered the rest in the poor saiyan's ears. Videl could see the crimefighter blushing through his mask and decided to stop the spectacle unfolding before her. "Shouldn't we be getting back to the police?"

Saiyaman threw her a grateful glance and agreed. Videl led the two kids into her jetcopter and glanced back, spotting Angela draped over Saiyaman. "Saiyaman, why don't you carry me down to the police?"

"U-Um sure." He cautiously picked her up and floated down to the waiting police, tailed by Videl and the kids in her jetcopter.

They had almost touched down when Angela grabbed his mask, pulled it down and smashed her lips against his. The resulting surprise almost made him drop the brunette, but she clung on with almost superhuman strength. She finally broke the kiss and smirked at the stunned saiyan. She carefully placed his mask over his mouth and hopped out of his arms, waving her hips seductively as she sauntered over to the police to recount her experiences.

Gohan's eyes shifted to Videl, who crossed her arms and scowled at him. The saiyan let out a dejected sigh. He was in for a long afternoon, that much was certain.

* * *

"I CAN'T BELIEVE YOU LET HER KISS YOU! AREN'T YOU SUPPOSED TO HAVE SUPER SPEED!? WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH YOU!" Shrieked Videl as she tailed Saiyaman in her jetcopter. Gohan did his best to deflect her questions but she wasn't giving up. She pulled up alongside him and continued her rant.

Truthfully, Gohan still didn't know what exactly happened. One moment, he had been carrying Angela down from the roof, and the next moment their lips were connected and he swore he saw more than a couple camera flashes go off. " _Great. Now the entire city's gonna think that Saiyaman is dating Angela. Doesn't she realize that villains are going to go after her if they think she's got a connection with me? I swear people have no foresight."_

"ARE YOU EVEN LISTENING TO ME!?"

Videl's yells broke Gohan's train of thought and he glanced at her with a shrug. "I dunno Miss Videl, I'm still trying to make sense of the whole thing as well." This only made Videl even angrier, and she resumed her outburst. Gohan checked his watch and realized his next class started in five minutes. He picked up his speed and shot off in the direction of Orange Star high, leaving a furious Videl behind.

* * *

Class had just ended for the day and Gohan rushed to the roof so he could transform and head home. He bounded up the stairs two at a time when his phone beeped. He paused and checked his message.

 _From: Sharp_

' _Yo Brains! I was invited to a party this weekend and you're my plus one. Saturday at 6 pm is when it starts. Trust me, it'll be the time of your life.'_

Gohan wondered whether he should go to the party or not. He didn't have anything to do other than study or train, and his mom would definitely make him go so he could make new friends. But on the other hand, he'd heard about what high school parties were like. They didn't really appeal to him.

' _Sorry Sharp, but I don't think i'll be going. I'm not the partying type you know.'_

 _From: Sharp_

' _I know I can't convince you, but think about it alright? It'll be a blast if you come.'_

Gohan put his phone back in his pocket and resumed his ascent to the roof. He stepped out onto the roof and walked to the edge of the platform, gazing out at the city. He was about to tap his button and transform into Saiyaman when a voice called out. "I thought I might find you here."

He glanced over his shoulder and came face to face with Angela. He almost jumped out of his skin, realizing it was the brunette that had kissed him earlier in the day. "O-Oh, H-Hey A-Angela! How's Y-Your day been!?"

The Brunette was getting dangerously close now. "Oh, it's just been one of the best days ever! And It's going to get a lot better once you accept my invitation to my party. It's on Saturday at 6."

" _That was ANGELA'S Party!?"_

"U-Um, I don't think I can make it A-Angela!"

The brunette wrapped her arms around his neck and pressed her body against his suggestively. "Now now Gohan, don't be like that. I was really looking forward to Saiyaman attending my party."

Gohan froze at her revelation. " _Well….Shit."_

"I think you know what'll happen if you don't show Saturday, don't you?"

"You'll reveal my identity to everyone?"

"Cute and smart! I knew there was something I liked about you, Gohan. You really should've been more careful with your mask Saiyaman. Once I took it off, it was so obvious that you were Saiyaman it wasn't even funny!"

"I-I'll take care of tha-mmph!" Angela grabbed the young half saiyan's face and pressed her lips against his for the second time that day. Gohan felt like his head was going to explode from the contact. She broke the kiss, albeit way too late for Gohan's comfort. She winked at him flirtatiously and turned around. She made a great deal of swaying her hips as she sauntered back into the school.

Gohan realized he had no other options, so he turned on his phone and started texting.

 _To: Sharp_

' _Changed my mind. I'll be there Saturday."_

* * *

 **There you have it! Gohan's life starts getting more and more hectic as the day goes on. School drama, crime fighting drama, just an overall shit ton of drama for the poor demi saiyan. Angela makes her debut, and she's already scheming to get Gohan! And is that jealousy from Videl?**

 **Find out next time, on the The Boy Behind the Mask!**


	3. Chapter 3

**Super Kamehameha: I'm glad you liked the new suit! The spider man arc was an inspiration for the Doctor Landry arc, but I feel like introducing DBZ elements can give the arc a whole new element.**

 **Obligatory Disclaimer: I own nothing**

Gohan lounged on Sharpener's bean bag chair, furiously mashing buttons on his controller. The blond jock lay on his bed to his left. Both of the teens stared intently at the screen, the competitive nature of the boys fueling their desire to win. Suddenly, Gohan sprung to his feet and held his arms over his head in victory. "TOUCHDOWN!" Sharpener's eyes went wide as he let go of the controller and collapsed in defeat. "God Dammit! How do you keep doing it brains!?"

Gohan gave his best friend a cheeky smirk. "I'm just better than you at this game Sharp."

"Bullshit. I'm the best there is at this game. You just got lucky nerd."

Gohan stretched his arms and glanced at the clock on Sharpener's bed stand. "It's already five? I could've sworn we just started playing! There's no way we've been playing just one game for an entire hour!"

"What can I say, time flies when your hanging out with someone as entertaining as me. Anyways, we have to get ready for Angela's party tonight. You aren't just going to wear those clothes, right?"

Gohan glanced at his attire. He wore a blue sweatshirt and a pair of white shorts. 'Why? What's wrong with these?"

"If only all the girls that liked you knew how terrible your fashion sense was."

"Hey! I resent that!"

"Please. I bet your mom picks out your clothes for you."

"Woah! How'd you know Sharp?"

"Oh man brains….alright I'll lend you some of my clothes for tonight. But tomorrow, I'm gonna have Erasa take you to the mall so you can buy decent clothes."

"Sharp! Come on man! Anything but that!"

Sharpener ignored the saiyan's protest and stepped into his closet. He grabbed a pair of clothes from is closet and threw them at Gohan. "Take these into my bathroom and change in there." Gohan caught the clothes and walked into the bathroom, locking the door behind him. He examined the clothes with a curious look. " _Well, they don't look bad. I guess I can manage in these for a while."_

He stripped down and pulled on the khaki joggers before putting on the blue long sleeved t shirt. He glanced at himself in the mirror and smiled. He didn't look half bad. His mind started wandering to the party. Angela knew his secret, and she also made it painfully obvious that she wanted him. Was she going to make him do something he didn't want to do? How far should he go to protect his secret before enough is enough? "Hey, Sharp?"

"What is it brains?"

"Who all is gonna be there tonight?"

"If I know Angela, anyone who has a pulse and isn't older than thirty or younger than sixteen in Satan city will be there. Her family is stacked, I mean like, the only one richer than her is Videl. So basically, Angela's parties are always over the top. You'll have a good time."

" _I'm not so sure about that…."_

"Alright brains, you can come out now." Gohan stepped out of the bathroom and found Sharpener facing him with his hands in his pockets. They had the same outfit, except Sharpener had on a grey button up shirt instead. Sharpener tossed him a pair of swim trunks in a string bag. "Angela's got a pool, so we're bound to get wet sometime tonight. Just make sure you change before you get in the pool." Gohan followed the blond jock out to his driveway, where Sharpener's pride and joy, his Dodge Camaro, was parked. Once they got seated, Sharpener turned towards Gohan and gave him a reassuring smile. "Gohan, try to relax and have some fun. But if you don't feel comfortable, come find me. Deal?"

"I gotcha Sharp." Gohan settled uneasily into his seat as Sharpener started the car and drove to Angela's mansion.

* * *

Gohan and Sharpener walked into Angela's mansion and almost immediately, the stench of alcohol and tobacco assaulted Gohan's sense of smell. He tried to ignore the smell as he split off from Sharpener and made his way through a crowd of teenagers. The saiyan noticed several familiar ki signatures spread throughout the house. He felt Videl and Erasa nearby, Lily and Will were upstairs. He scanned the rest of the house for Angela's ki.

He locked onto her ki and realized she was….

"Oh hey, _Saiyaman._ Fancy seeing you here."

….right behind him.

"H-Hey Angela." He tried to separate himself from her, but the redhead's grip on him tightened. He tried to find someone who could get him out of the situation. Fortunately, that someone found him. "Angela, I didn't know you had a thing for nerds."

His head turned towards the new voice and his gaze settled on Videl. The petite crimefighter wore a black strapless dress that reached down to her thighs and she wore her hair down Gohan shot her a thankful look, but she coldly ignored him.

"Oh Videl, you'd be surprised to know that Gohan has a lot more to him than just his smarts." Angela shot him a knowing smirk and he resisted the urge to fly right out of the party.

Erasa planted herself between the two enemies with a sweet smile on her face. "Now now ladies, there's no need for any of us to fight. We're all friends." She discreetly looked at Gohan and nodded her head, signaling for him to leave before the two girls switched their attention back on him. Gohan seized the opportunity and scurried away from the trio of girls.

He made his way to the snack table and started gorging on the various snacks on the table.

"Having plenty of fun, eh Brains?"

Gohan turned his head and grinned at Sharpener. "The food is the best part of this party."

"Sounds like I missed something big. Wanna fill me in?"

"Angela ambushed me not even five minutes after we got here. And while she was feeling me up Videl found us and the two of them got into a fight. I barely escaped with my sanity."

"Consider yourself lucky you even got away. I didn't know Angela had a thing for you."

"Yeah well neither did I until she personally invited me to the party."

"Yeesh. I'd be very afraid if I were you."

"Trust me, I am."

* * *

Soon enough, Gohan found himself in the backyard, where a number of guys had started a pickup game with Angela's basketball hoop. Gohan suspected that the hoop was only there for show, but it sure did come in handy at the moment. The saiyan was actually an avid sports fan, so he had no trouble keeping up with the game. The longer the boys played, the more he wanted to to sub in, but he knew that if his powers got out of control, someone could get hurt. He stood on the sidelines, watching one team throttle the other, when someone pushed him onto the court. He turned around and glared at Sharpener, who just gave him a goofy grin and called out. "Hey! Brains is about sub in!"

Gohan walked awkwardly over to the losing team with a hand on his neck. "Um….I figured you guys needed some help?" One of the boys sighed and looked him up and down. "We'll take anyone good at this point. Will and his gang of goons are just too good." Gohan glanced at the other team and spotted the rich asshole along with four of his accomplices. None of the were shorter than 6 foot, whereas the tallest one on his team besides Gohan himself, couldn't have been taller than 5'10". Sharpener called out to Gohan from the sidelines. "Oi Brains! You'd better go put those Monstars in their place!"

Gohan grinned at Sharpener's Space Jam reference and turned back towards his teammates. "Alright Toon squad, I'll take Point guard. Spread out on the three point line and wait for me to pass it to you. If you're open, take the shot." Everyone nodded at the demi saiyan as they spread out across the court and restarted the game.

The other team got the ball first and the ball was passed immediately to Will. Gohan narrowed his eyes and planted himself in his way, arms outstretched. Will smirked at him arrogantly and took of on a sprint right at him. Gohan forcefully pushed his ki reserves down, giving him power slightly higher than an average Olympic athlete. He blocked off Will's path and forced him to pass the ball. Unfortunately, the ball went straight to a wide open guy in the corner, who drilled a three. Gohan glanced at the one who was supposed to be guarding him. The boy was sprawled on the floor, frustration clear on his face. Gohan helped him up and beckoned for the ball. He received it and trotted up the court, a smirk clearly on his face.

Will glared at the saiyan and charged at him, making no attempt to hide the fact that he was going to try to steal the ball. Gohan moved fast, dribbling the ball behind his back to his other side and exploding towards the basket, passing Will on his way. He threaded through the defense and leapt up to the basket and dunked the ball with furiosity, careful not to break the hoop. The crowd went wild with surprise. Sharpener's reaction spoke for the group as he clutched his hair in his fists in shock. "Brains you didn't tell me you could dunk!"

Gohan winked at the astonished blond and jogged back on defense. The other team wasn't going to underestimate him now, so he had to take it up a notch.

* * *

Videl had been enjoying a conversation with Erasa and Lily when someone climbed onto a nearby pool table and called out to the partygoers. "You all will want to see this! Son Gohan and his ragtag team going toe to toe with Will Masters and is band of merry brutes! The most epic game of hoops you'll see up close!" The crowd started to drift towards the backyard and cluster around the basketball court. The sight they saw was absolutely amazing, as Gohan and Will took turns stealing the show as they went back and forth.

Videl watched closely as Will drained a layup from up close, only for Gohan to get the ball and race down the other end and drill a stepback three. She couldn't help but be amazed at how confident the Son boy looked out on the court. He carried himself with an air of confidence, a certain familiar swagger that se had only seen one other person with. Saiyaman.

She was pulled out of her thoughts as the rest of the crowd got loud. The score was tied, 49-49. Next point would win the game. Will dribbled slowly up the court, while Gohan mirrored his movements. Will shot forward, drawing one of Gohan's teammates in to help Gohn with Will as he drove to the basket. At the last second, Will lofted the ball over his head and it flew behind him towards one of his teammates, who was wide open.

The ball never made it to its destination however, as Gohan recovered with near superhuman speed and dove in the way of the ball, his outstretched hands grabbing it out of the air as he stole it midair. He tumbled to the ground, but recovered quickly and rushed forward towards the other basket. He could see Will coming at him from the side of his eyes and sped up. At the last second, he ground to a halt and let Will's momentum carry him past the demi saiyan. Gohan grinned at the rich boy as he tossed the ball into the hoop and scored the game winning points with ease. He flashed a grin at the crowd that surrounded the court and jogged over to where Sharpener stood, speechless.

"Hey Sharp? What's with the look on your face bro?"

"W-Who are you and what did you do with Brains?"

"What do you mean? I've always liked basketball."

"Forget it. You never cease to amaze me man."

The two boys continued to converse as Videl and Erasa walked up to them. "Gohan! That was sooo cool! How come you never told me you were a total jock!?"

"Umm….It never came up?"

Videl watched Gohan squirm under Erasa's inquisitive stare. She was going to step in and interrogate him herself, until the crowd started stripping down to their swim clothes and jumping into the pool. A giggling Erasa dragged the poor demi-saiyan with her towards the pool. The crimefighter let out a sigh and followed the duo, Sharpener trailing behind her.

Erasa pulled off her shirt, revealing her green bikini, making Gohan's face flush red. She pulled off her skirt and faced him with a flirty look on his face. "You want me to take of your shirt _Gohan_?"

"U-Um, I think I'll do it myself Erasa." He delayed taking off his clothes as long as possible, but once Sharpener and Videl got undressed and jumped in the pool, he realized he was the last one on the deck. He lamely pulled of his shirt and blushed as Erasa's eyes widened. The blond grabbed her raven haired best friend and hissed into her ear. "Videl! Check out Gohan's killer abs!"

Videl raised an eyebrow and glanced at Gohan's body. Her face immediately flushed and she resisted the urge to reach out and touch his torso. Gohan shuffled awkwardly towards the edge of the pool deck and slipped into the water next to the two girls. He submerged himself in the water to hide his body, but Erasa wasn't giving up. She nudged Videl into Gohan, and the close proximity of the two teens made their faces flush bright red.

Videl moved away from Gohan, but the feel of his body on hers made her shiver. She watched him with keen eyes as he swam over to Sharpener and the two boys started splashing each other. Her eyes kept drifting to his body before she was distracted by Angela, who was slowly creeping towards the unsuspecting demi-saiyan. Videl scowled as Angela draped herself all over Gohan, forcing the boy to freeze up and become visibly uncomfortable.

Videl frowned and drifted over to the duo and put her hands on her hips. "Angela, I think Gohan's having enough fun without you hanging on to him for dear life."

The redhead scowled at her and reluctantly let go of the saiyan. Gohan shot her a thankful glance, and this time she returned it with a smirk of her own. He watched her head off to join Lily and Erasa at a corner of the pool before he turned back towards a smirking Sharpener.

"What?"

"Hmm? Oh nothing."

* * *

A couple hours later, most of the partygoers had left, save Videl, Erasa, Will, Lily, Sharpener, and Gohan. Gohan felt guilty about just leaving without helping clean up so he offered to clean the backyard much to Sharpener's disdain. The two shuffled around the backyard cleaning up trash while the rest of the teens sat in the guest house and conversed.

"Gohan you know Angela would've just maid her servants clean up this mess right?"

"Maybe so Sharp, but my mom always told me that it's not polite to make a mess at someone's help and leave without cleaning it up."

"Jeez I didn't take you for such a momma's boy."

"Oh can it Sharp."

Sharpener stifled a laugh at Gohan's expense and set down his garbage bag. "It's real nice of the rest of them to sit in the house and gossip instead of helping us."

"Well, what did ya expect?" Gohan questioned as he scooped up the last piece of trash in the backyard. "People like them take a lot of the world for granted." The two boys grabbed their trash bags and carried them into the garage, where they threw them in the garbage can. Sharpener entered the guest house and told Angela that he and Gohan were leaving.

"Wait Sharpener, you and Gohan really helped me out s why don't you guys stay and talk for a bit? Trust me, we won't bite!" Sharpener glanced at Gohan for his response, but Gohan just stared at Angela's coy smirk. Gohan sighed and put on a fake smile. "I don't have to be home for a while, I guess we could stay for a bit."

Videl noticed Gohan's strained smile and noticed that something was off. " _Why would he want to stay?"_ She glanced at Angela, who was eyeing Gohan seductively. " _If I were to guess, she's got some dirt on him."_ She resolved to figure out what it was soon.

Gohan and Sharpener took a seat next to Will. The two warily eyed the rest of the group as the conversation resumed. Will took out a bag of weed and held it out to Sharpener, as if he was offering it to him. Sharpener frowned and declined. "I don't smoke Will."

"Suit yourself bro." Replied Will as he rolled a blunt and lit it. He took a long drag before staring at Gohan with disdain. "You're the mountain boy aren't ya? Aren't you supposed to be nose deep in some textbooks right about now?"

Gohan resisted the urge to punch the condescending teen in the face. He grit his teeth and put on is best fake smile. "Haha that was a good one Will. Actually, Angela invited me."

Will raised an eyebrow and looked at the redhead in question curiously. "Is that right? Angela, why in the world would you think that Mountain boy belongs anywhere near the likes of us?" Angela smiled at Will before responding. "Well, Gohan here is actually connected to some pretty important people. I recently found out that he's actually the son of Son Goku himself."

Gohan's eyes widened as his mind started racing. " _How the hell does she know that!? I didn't think she would find out this much this fast! Oh shit oh shit oh shit…."_ Sharpener elbowed the saiyan and hissed in his ear. "What the hell man!? Couldn't you have told me that you were the son of a legend like Son Goku?"

"Well, I didn't really want it to get out…." Whispered Gohan.

"You think I care that he's the son of some old guy? Maybe if he were the son of someone that was actually _relevant_ , I might have some respect for him. But Son Goku?" Will sneered. "Where was that guy when the aliens invaded? Or when those androids started attacking? Or when Cell almost destroyed the world? You'd think that a former world champion would have done something to fight those threats, but I don't recall hearing anything about him."

Sharpener glanced at Gohan and almost jumped when he noticed Gohan's eyes flashed turquoise. The world's strongest fighter spoke in a low voice. "Will, if I were you, I'd shut the hell up before you say something you might regret. My father is and always will be a hero."

The voice of the shy boy made Videl frown. " _I-I've heard that voice somewhere before! Dammit! Think Videl!"_ Erasa tried to lower the tension, laying a hand on Gohan's arm. "It's ok, Gohan. Will's just drunk."

"Oh ho you wish I were drunk! I'm completely sober and I stand by everything I say! There's no way this _filth_ belongs here, even if his father is some washed up martial artist from nearly twenty years ago!" Gohan sprang to his feet and pulled back his fist in preparation for a punch. He'd show him! The power of the son of Goku!

All of a sudden, Angela was in front of Will, a furious look on her face. A look that said, 'If Will has even a scratch on him, I'll expose your secret to the entire world!'. Gohan stopped his fist an inch from Will's nose. He let out a raggedy breath. "People like you dont deserve people like my father."

He turned around and stomped furiously out of the guest house. Sharpener didn't hesitate though, walking up and delivering a blow straight Will's gut. He stared at Videl and Angela defiantly, daring them to do anything. He scowled at them, before delivering the news. "His dad's fucking dead you assholes!" He threw Will at the wall before sprinting after Gohan.

Videl sat there, frozen with shock. She'd never seen Gohan so mad. It elicited strange emotions from her, as if she felt the need to protect Gohan, to comfort him. She watched Will struggle to his feet.

"Fucking traitor! I'll make sure you suffer!" Shrieked Lily as she helped her boyfriend up. Angela sat there, her arms crossed in disdain, as if her plans had been ruined. Erasa rushed out the door, trailing Sharpener.

* * *

Gohan sped away from Angela's house, his eyes shimmering between electric blue and jet black, his hair standing up. Sharpener barely caught him, even though the jock had been sprinting while Gohan had just been walking quickly. "Gohan! Gohan calm down man!"

Gohan turned around and Sharpener ground to a halt. Gohan's cheeks were stained with tears, but more importantly, his eyes were bright turquoise. Sharpener ignored the strange phenomena and grabbed Gohan by his shoulders. "Don't worry, I did a number on Will for you." Gohan's rage exploded at the mention of Will's name, his hair standing up and his black locks turning blazing gold. He clenched his wrist. "I-I'll fucking k-kill him if he says one more thing about my d-dad!" Sharpener stumbled backwards in shock and landed on the ground. "G-Gohan….S-Saiyaman!?"

Gohan wiped his tears away and let out a sad smile. "Hehe….I guess the cat's out of the bag…."

Sharpener had trouble forming coherent sentences. He just pointed at the Super Saiyan with a dumbfounded expression. Gohan sighed and helped his friend up. "It's a long story Sharp. I'll tell you soon." He knocked out his best friend, placing him in his Camaro, before getting in and driving off.

Erasa let go of her breath and sunk to the floor as she watched gohan drive off from her spot behind the wall on Angela's lawn. She couldn't actually believe it. Gohan, shy, nerdy, soft spoken, cute little Gohan was the fearsome protector of Satan city!? She sat there and gazed at the stars.

Things just got a whole lot more complicated.

* * *

Gohan woke up on Monday with Goten staring at him with his big goofy grin on his face. "Gohan it's time to get up. Mama made pancakes today." Gohan ambled slowly got up and started his morning routine. He had gone home early from the party Saturday night and spent the majority of Sunday training Goten or doing his homework.

He staggered down to the kitchen, sitting down and joining his brother as the two saiyans dug in to the pancakes. "Say, Big Brother? When are you gonna teach me ta fly?" Gohan paused his gluttony to respond to his brother. "Oh man I totally forgot about that Goten. Why don't we start next weekend huh?"

Goten's eyes widened in excitement. "Great! I can't wait!" Both of the boys finished shoveling food down their throats before heading out. Gohan blasted off towards Satan City, while Goten trotted off towards the woods to play.

As Gohan flew towards Orange Star, he could hear his Mother's voice loud and clear. "Son Goten get back here! You have homework to do!" Gohan let out a laugh before he pressed on his watch, transforming into Saiyaman and zooming towards Satan City.

* * *

The yellow aura of Saiyaman blazed around him as he cruised above Satan City. He sensed Videl's ki trailing him so he slowed down until they were flying side by side. "Morning, Miss Videl."

Videl looked at him, but not with her usual glare. In fact, Gohan was pretty sure she was….blushing? Meanwhile, Erasa poked her head out of the backseat with a smile on her face. "Don't forget about me, Saiyaman!" He chuckled at the bubbly blond's antics. "Well, I'll see you later, Miss Videl. You too Era- er… Miss!"

Erasa stifled a laugh at Gohan's antics. She still couldn't believe that Gohan was actually Saiyaman, but now that she was looking for it, she could see all of the similarities between the two. She watched Videl slyly and came to her conclusion. Her best friend totally had to get together with the superhero. "Sooooo Vi, why didn't you tell me you were crushing on Saiyaman?"

The jetcopter jerked to the right as Videl temporarily lost control due to her surprise. "I-I don't like Saiyaman!" She said just a little too loud. Erasa smirked. "Oh yeah? Then why are you blushing?"

"I'M NOT BLUSHING ERASA" All Videl heard from the backseat was the giggles of the bubbly teenager. "I-It's too easy with you Vi." Sputtered Erasa in between giggles. "You're incorrigible 'rasa."

"Thanks I try!"

* * *

Videl frowned as she realized Erasa wasn't joining them for lunch today. She nibbled on her sandwich in boredom as Lily narrated her latest trip to the outlet mall. Angela, who had started eating lunch with them, listened intently while Will sneaked a drag from his cigarette when he was sure nobody was watching.

* * *

"So you're going to clue me in on what exactly happened Saturday night, right Brains?"

Gohan and Sharpener sat side by side on the roof eating their food. 'Yeah, I guess I had to at some point. Well, get comfortable, it's a pretty long story."

A feminine voice interrupted the boys conversation. "Don't worry Saiyaman, I'm comfortable. You can start the story now!" Gohan turned his head in surprise and saw Erasa walking up to the duo with her lunch. "E-Erasa! What did you hear!?"

Erasa rolled her eyes and plopped down next to Gohan. "It's not what I heard, it's what I saw. Does Saturday night ring a bell?"

"Oh I see…."

"Well? Aren't you gonna tell us?"

"Alright alright! It all started on a distant planet nearly forty years ago…."

* * *

 **Sharpener and Erasa find out Saiyaman's true identity! Will makes the first of many despicable appearances in this story! Gohan's life gets even more hectic as time passes! What will happen next? Find out next time, on The Boy Behind the Mask!**


	4. Chapter 4

**Jvarkul2002: Thank you so much! I hope you find this chapter just as good as the last three!**

 **Obligatory Disclaimer: I don't own the DB Franchise**

* * *

"...and me and the rest of the Z fighters have been laying low ever since." Sharpener was the first to recover from his shock. "So….Hercule Satan wasn't the one who killed Cell huh?"

"No. But if it wasn't for him throwing android 16's head to me, I never would have ascended to the next level and defeated Cell. So in a way, Hercule did save the world."

Erasa frowned at him and put her hands on her hips. "And how do we know you aren't lying? I mean, there's no way that Hercule's lied about the Cell games for seven years! Besides, didn't they recover the footage from after the delivery boy, I mean, you transformed? Cell still pummeled you!"

"Erasa! Do you think Gohan would lie about something so important to him!?" Disputed Sharpener. He started to berate Erasa for her suspiciousness, but Gohan stopped him. "It's ok Sharp. If someone told me all this, I would have trouble believing them too. Erasa, give me your hand." She held out her palm, and he placed his on top of it. He motioned for Sharpener to do the same, and the jock complied. "I'm about to show you my memories from every major battle I've ever been in. It's not for the faint hearted, but if you want to see it, I won't stop you."

Both blonds shook their heads, signaling that they wanted to see. Gohan closed his eyes and channeled his memories. Sharpener and Erasa's minds were filled with memories of Gohan destroying Raditz's armor, Gohan watching Nappa kill Piccolo, Gohan going toe to toe with frieza on Namek, and Gohan watching as his dad bid him farewell before teleporting Cell blonds reopened their eyes and Erasa immediately wrapped Gohan in a tight hug as tears streamed down her cheeks.

"I can't believe you had to live through all of that….I'm so so sorry Gohan." Sobbed Erasa as she held onto him. Sharpener laid a hand on Gohan's shoulders. "The shit you've had to go through, and you still keep smiling….It makes me want to beat the shit out of Will even more for everything he said at Angela's party." Gohan smiled at Sharpener's protectiveness. "Thanks guys. This means a lot. It's nice to know that at least some people don't treat me like a piece of shit."

Erasa wiped away her tears and looked at him with a fire in her eyes. "Screw those phonies! From now on, I'm gonna stick with you guys. Nobody deserves to be treated the way you have Gohan. Especially when you're the reason we're all still alive."

Gohan was going to respond, but the bell rang, signaling the end of the lunch period. The three teenagers packed up their lunches and head back down to their next class. Gohan checked his phone and saw that he had a text from Dr. Landry.

 _From: Doc_

 _You don't have to come in today son. I'll be out of town for a couple of days. I'll see you soon._

He slipped his phone back into his pocket and called out to the two blonds. "I'll see you guys after this period!" They waved to him as he transformed into his Saiyaman suit and shot off. Sharpener turned towards Erasa. "Well, if I were to bet, Videl's gonna be _pissed_ that you aren't gonna eat lunch with them anymore."

Erasa shrugged nonchalantly. "As long as she associates with Will, Lily, and Angela, I won't hang out with her. Ball's in her court." She winked at him before turning and strolling away. Sharpener watched her walk away with a blush on his face.

* * *

Gohan perched on the ledge of a tower, eyes closed as he scanned the city for the telltale signs of crime. The city was strangely peaceful today, which was a shame, because he really needed to get his mind off of recent events. He spied a certain yellow jetcopter speeding towards the south side of the city. Gohan grinned and shot off in pursuit of the jetcopter.

"Where to Miss Videl?" Called out Gohan as he pulled up alongside her vehicle. He hadn't sensed anything out of the ordinary today, so he was wondering where exactly she was heading.

Videl looked at him and smirked. "Well, I was actually looking for you saiyaman." She landed the jetcopter on a roof and decapsulated it. Gohan landed next her and crossed his arms. Videl approached him with a knowing smirk. "So are you ready to tell me who you are?"

"I know you didn't spend all that time trying to find me just to ask me that."

Videl got really close before making an attempt to grab his mask. Gohan moved extremely quick, grabbing her wrist before it could grab his mask. "You didn't think that would work did you?" Said the superhero, his eyebrow raised.

The petite girl struggled against his grip before giving up. "Well it was worth a shot." He let go of her arm, only for her to try for his mask yet again. Gohan sighed, side stepping her arm with lightning speed. "Stop playing games." He growled, his frustration starting to increase.

"I wouldn't have to if you just told me who you were!" She hissed in return. She backed up, hers arms crossed as she scowled at him petulantly. Suddenly, Gohan sensed a disturbance just outside the city. "Hold on, something's happening." He turned around and jumped off the building, shooting off towards the new power signature.

* * *

Gohan landed in a barren wasteland a couple miles from Satan city's borders. He surveyed the area, his gaze settling on a pod very similar to the ones Raditz, Vegeta, and Nappa had arrived on earth with. He approached the crater the pod had created, settling on the edge and gazing down on the spherical spaceship.

Videl's jetcopter landed behind him, with the crimefighter stepping out and standing next to him. The duo observed the pod before Videl broke the silence. 'What do you think that is?"

"..."

Gohan descended into the crater. He grabbed the door of the pod and pulled it off, revealing an unconscious female inside. The girl wore saiyan armour and had black spiky hair. Her body was covered in bruises and cuts.

Gohan picked up the girl and floated up to where Videl stood. "I'll take care of her, you should get going." He told the shocked girl. She nodded before crossing her arms defiantly. "Fine, but you'd better tell me what exactly just happened when I next see you."

"Ok ok, I promise." With that, he flew off in the direction of Capsule corp, leaving Videl behind.

* * *

Bulma shuffled around her lab running various tests on the unconscious girl laying on a gurney in the middle of the room. Gohan and Vegeta watched the blue haired genius from the door. "You think she might be another saiyan?" Asked Gohan. Vegeta crossed his arms with a smirk. "She's a saiyan. No doubt about that. She's also your age, so that means her parents must have been off world when planet Vegeta was destroyed."

"Why do you think she came here?"

"Isn't it obvious runt? She must have heard that her prince resided on this planet and came here to pledge her allegiance." The prince replied arrogantly.

Bulma finished her evaluation and approached the two saiyans. "Well, my results say that she's a full saiyan. Analysis of the ship she arrived in concluded two things. The blast marks on the exterior show that she was getting attacked, and the malfunctioned control panels show that she clearly didn't have control of the ship when it crashed on earth."

Gohan pulled out a senzu bean from his pocket. "I was gonna save this, but we should probably wake her up as soon as possible to question her." He popped the senzu in his mouth, chewing it into a paste before passing it into her mouth.

Her eyes flew open and her fist immediately slammed into his gut, throwing him off her. She sprang to her feet, braced for combat while Bulma hid behind Vegeta who just kept his arms crossed and stared down the new saiyan. "I advise you not to attack your prince."

The girl's eyes widened as she recognized the figure in front of her. "P-P-Prince V-Vegeta!? Is that you?" She slowly approached before pulling something out of her pocket. She held out to him a strange medallion. The way Vegeta reacted surprised both Bulma and Gohan as he grabbed the medallion and stuffed it in his pocket. "What were you doing with my fathers medallion!?" He snarled.

Unfazed, the girl looked him in the eyes. "My father game it to me before he died. Prince Tarble of the saiyans."

Vegeta backed away in shock. "T-Tarble!? You're my niece!?"

It took awhile for Gohan and Bulma to calm down the shocked saiyan prince enough for the newcomer to tell her story.

"My name is Kora. My father and mother were both off world when planet Vegeta was destroyed. Once they had me, we traveled from planet to planet, always trying to avoid Frieza's forces. When we heard that friez had been defeated by a super saiyan, we switched our goal to trying to find the legend who had managed to finally kill that monster. But a couple months ago….my parents were both killed by bounty hunters. The remnants of the Cold empire had made it their mission to find all saiyans and exterminate them. I barely managed to get away, but I was tracked by them until they finally managed to catch me in orbit around the star Sol-1. I managed to set a course for the nearest habitable planet before falling unconscious."

Bulma placed a reassuring hand on Kora's shoulder. "It's alright Kora. You're safe now." The saiyan girl sobbed into Bulma's shoulders while Vegeta contemplated the new information. "Runt. Take the girl and show her around. I have some work I need to do." He stopped next to the Kora. "You said you were shot down near our star? Then they couldn't have gotten far." With that, Vegeta left the room, radiating killing intent.

Gohan turned back towards Kora and gave her a smile. She gave him a shy smile in return. He led her out the door to the front yard of Capsule Corp. "First thing's first, my name is son Gohan. I'm a half saiyan. My dad was a saiyan named Kakarot, and my mom is a human. My family and friends live here and protect earth from all sorts of evil." Kora stared at him inquisitively. "A hybrid? That's pretty strange." Then a thought crossed Kora's mind. "How strong are you? My scouter broke so I can't tell."

Gohan shrugged. "I'm told that I might just be the strongest warrior in the universe. But only time will tell if that's true…." Kora grinned at him. "Then how about a spar? I dunno how you guys did it, but I feel better than I have in months.' She backed up a couple paces and got into a battle stance. "Let's see what you've got."

Gohan read her power level and relaxed. She wasn't much stronger than Gohan had been when he had helped fight the androids. He supposed he could take it easy on her and get a feel for her fighting skills.

"Follow me. I know an area where we can fight without hurting innocent bystanders." He shot off into the sky, leading Kora to a deserted wasteland. The two saiyans landed in the middle of the wasteland and prepared for the fight. Gohan eyed Kora lazily as she stretched. She fell into a defensive stance while Gohan stood in a very Vegeta like pose, arms crossed and body relaxed. Kora shot at him, her arms tensing as she threw a barrage of punches at him. He watched her in slow motion, ducking under her at the last second and grabbing her leg as it flew past. He whipped her into the sky and shot into the air after her.

Kora recovered quickly and shot multiple ki blasts at Gohan, the blasts slamming onto him head on. The smoke obscured her view of him, but Kora felt confident that she had slowed down her opponent. Smirking, she relaxed. There was no way a _half-breed_ who lived a sheltered life on this peaceful planet had nearly as much strength as someone like her, a full blooded saiyan who had lived her life on the run! It was common sense after all.

Gohan shot out of the smoke, catching her off guard and hitting her like a freight train as he rammed his shoulder into her gut. Her saiyan armour shattered at the impact and forced her to stagger back, confusion apparent on her face. Gohan grinned at her shock and ceased his assault. "I'm a lot stronger than you give me credit for." He powered up further, his blue aura expanding.

Kora grimaced at his apparent power up and gathered ki in both of her palms. Pressing them together, she formed a ball of ki that enveloped her hands. With a shout, she unleashed a powerful wave of ki that shot at Gohan. He held his arms up and blocked the attack, but Kora pushed all of her energy into the attack, gradually breaking his defense. Alarmed at the sudden increase in power, Gohan decided it was time to show her what he could really do.

Kora's concentration broke when Gohan roared, sending shivers down her spine. In an instant, the old Gohan was replaced in a warrior bathed in a golden aura. His piercing teal eyes intimidated Kora, who backed away and formed a defensive stance. "T-The Super Saiyan!?"

Gohan moved faster than Kora could see, reappearing in front of her with his outstretched palm aimed at her face. "Did I mention that I'm a super saiyan?."

"Y-You defeated Frieza!?"

"Not quite. That was my father." Gohan's nonchalance further increased Kora's amazement. He backed off and floated down. Kora followed him deftly. "B-But you're just a half-breed…."

"I don't think it really matters. As long as you have saiyan blood, it shouldn't be a problem."

Kora did her best job of imitating Vegeta as she gave him a haughty stare. "There's no way a half-breed should be stronger than a full-blooded saiyan like me."

Gohan chuckled at Kora's attitude. "Sorry to burst your bubble, but i'm not just a little stronger than you, i'm waaay stronger than you." Kora glared at him but he just grinned playfully. "It's alright, you're a saiyan. You'll get stronger, I'll help you get there." He gave her a thumbs up, eliciting a small smile on her face. "I'll hold you to that Gohan." Gohan just gave her his best lopsided grin and rubbed the back of his head. Kora blushed slightly before descending back to the ground and sitting down. Gohan mimicked her movements, sitting down cross legged across from her.

"So both you _and_ your dad are super saiyans?"

"And Vegeta."

"There are three super saiyans!?"

"Well, yeah. I keep forgetting that only one saiyan has ever ascended before us. I guess I've just gotten so used to being a super saiyan that I never gave it that much thought." Kora was starting to see this boy in a whole new light. Growing up, her parents had told her stories about the legend of the super saiyan and that he would eventually arrive to free the saiyans from the chains of Frieza's empire. Kora had figured that it would either be her father, or the uncle she had never met that would become the prophesied super saiyan. After all, there was no way that it would be anyone other than a member of the royal bloodline. Yet here she was, sitting in front of a real life super saiyan, the son of the one who had killed Frieza. The way he acted like it was no big deal amazed and intrigued her.

"How do you act so indifferent about such an amazing feat?"

Gohan looked at her strangely. "Well it's really not all that special. Any pure hearted saiyan can transform if the conditions are right."

Kora's jaw dropped at the revelation. "Anyone?"

"Yup."

She grinned at the prospect. Her saiyan nature wanted, no, _demanded_ that she become a super saiyan as fast as possible. She gave him a look of fierce determination. "Teach me."

* * *

Goten and ChiChi flew through the skies on Nimbus heading towards Capsule Corp. Bulma had called ChiChi over for dinner, saying that there was some important news that she should be there for. The hyper demi-saiyan chattered away at his mom, telling her all about his latest exploits in the woods. The mother and son pair landed in the front yard of Capsule Corp and were immediately greeted by Trunks.

"Yo Goten! You'll never guess what happened today!"

"What happened Trunks?" Asked Goten as he hopped off Nimbus and followed the lavender haired trickster inside.

"Come on! I'll show you!" The two kids raced each other inside while ChiChi followed leisurely.

* * *

"So there's another saiyan?" Asked ChiChi as The Sons and the Briefs sat around a table eating dinner. Kora sat silently next to Gohan, squirming under ChiChi's watchful gaze.

"That's right! And get this; She's Vegeta's niece!" Replied Bulma. Chichi's eyes widened in surprise at the revelation. "Well that's quite a surprise!" She narrowed her eyes distastefully at the saiyan prince. "But you don't seem anything like the crown dunce himself."

Vegeta paused for a moment and grunted at the Son matriarch. "Watch it woman or else I'll-"

"You won't do anything as long as my dear son is here." Interrupted ChiChi with a victorious smirk. Gohan just shrugged weakly at the fuming prince. "Sorry Vegeta."

Kora nibbled on her food nervously. She wasn't used to being around so many people before. It was nice, but also overwhelming at times. She stopped eating once a question popped in her head. "This is probably an absurd question, but who's stronger between Gohan and Prince Vegeta?"

Her question immediately caught the attention of Goten and Trunks. "Obviously it's my dad. Gohan's pretty strong, but my dad's a prince!" He stuck out his tongue at Goten. "Nuh uh Trunks! My brother is the strongest person in the whole world! Mama said he beat Cell all by himself so that means big brother is stronger than your dad!" Goten waved his arms rapidly for emphasis.

"Oh yeah? Well I'm stronger than you, so that means that my dad has to be stronger than your brother!" Trunks sputtered, but Goten just giggled. "That makes no sense silly!"

Gohan chuckled awkwardly at the two younger boy's antics. He glanced at Vegeta who was strangely silent. Deciding to spare the older saiyan's pride, Gohan opened his mouth to respond. "Um well, I think it's pretty even-"

"Oh Gohan, stop trying to be humble! Maybe if you had listened to your mother and stopped training, Vegeta would be stronger, but if I recall correctly, the last time you two fought, you wiped the floor with him!" Interjected Bulma, who apparently had no reservations about her husband's saiyan pride.

Vegeta stood up from the table abruptly, a scowl draped over his face at the insult to his pride. "Runt! Gravity room now!" And with that, he stalked off to the GR. Gohan groaned at the thought of having to leave all of this perfectly good food behind. "Thanks a lot Bulma. Now I won't be able to finish dinner!"

Bulma smiled sweetly at him. "Oh don't you worry Gohan. Just beat up that jerk really quick and come back!"

"Easier said than done." He grumbled before abandoning his food and following Vegeta to the GR. Behind him, he heard Goten cry out, "I call dibs on Gohan's food!" and Trunks' subsequent groan.

* * *

The next day, Gohan flew towards Capsule Corp decked out in his Saiyaman outfit. Bulma had called in some favors and apparently Kora was going to be attending school with Gohan at Orange star from now on. Gohan wasn't really surprised at how fast Bulma managed to get Kora enrolled. After all, this was Bulma Briefs we were talking about. The one thing Gohan was worried about was Videl. Both Kora and Videl were headstrong and stubborn personalities, so it was important for Gohan that they get along or else he might not survive the day, much less the rest of the year.

The teenage superhero landed on the front lawn of Capsule Corp and transformed back into his school clothes. Gohan let himself inside and came face to face with a red faced Bulma and an irritated Kora butting heads while Trunks ate a bowl of cheerios as he watched eagerly and Vegeta shoveled bacon into his mouth nonchalantly.

"Kora! I don't care whether or not you're a saiyan princess! If you don't get into that dress in five minutes, I'll make you _and_ your uncle go without dinner!" Vegeta raised his head with a scowl of irritation on his face. "What the hell did I do woman!?"

"Make her wear the dress!" Responded an exasperated Bulma.

'I don't see why wearing saiyan armour to school would be an issue." Countered Vegeta.

"Thank you!" Kora called out.

At the same moment, all four occupants of the room noticed Gohan standing awkwardly in the hallway. Bulma and Kora's expressions suddenly brightened up while Vegeta's looked considerably more irritated. "Hiya Gohan! Called Trunks as he hopped off his chair and greeted his big brother with a hug. Gohan returned the sign of affection before glancing at the two women who had just been fighting. "What's the problem?"

Bulma's look of fury returned as she held out a dress for Gohan to look at. "Kora refuses to wear this to school! She wants to wear her saiyan armour, and thanks to her uncle Vegeta, she won't change her mind!"

"Well what am I supposed to do if one of Frieza's lackeys attacks the school huh? Do you really expect me to attempt to fight off intergalactic thugs in that!?"

Gohan held out his arms meekly and tried to stop the two from arguing further. He examined the outfit carefully and then glanced back at Kora. The outfit consisted of a white blouse and a blue skirt with a black sweater. Gohan sighed and came up with a solution.

"Okay, Kora I know you would prefer to go to school in saiyan armour, but trust me, I'm sure there are some more….appropriate clothes that you could also fight in. You don't have to wear that, but please wear some clothes that are acceptable on this planet? I promise you'll look great no matter what." Kora blushed at the last remark, eliciting a smirk from Bulma and a scowl from Vegeta. "F-Fine, I'll see what I can do."

Gohan smiled brightly at her. "Great! I'll wait for you down here, ok?"

Kora nodded and hurried up the stairs to change into a new outfit. Gohan slid into the chair next to Trunks and waited patiently. Bulma grinned at him mischievously. "So, she'll look great no matter what huh? Is there something you aren't telling me Gohan?"

Gohan knit his eyebrows together as he tried to figure out what she was talking about. "Uh, no I don't think so Bulma. Am I forgetting something?" Bulma giggled at his ignorance while Trunks facepalmed himself dramatically. Vegeta shook his head in embarrassment. "I swear, you're just as slow as Kakarot, you idiot. The woman is trying to find out whether you find Kora attractive or not."

Gohan nearly fell out his seat, much to the amusement of Trunks, Bulma, and Vegeta. Quickly recovering, Gohan stammered as he tried to deny the accusation. "N-No way! I barely even know her Bulma!"

Suddenly, Gohan heard a growl behind him. He gulped and turned around, whimpering at Kora as she stared menacingly at him, decked out in black leggings and a baggy blue sweatshirt that read 'CAPSULE CORP'. Hey eyes drilled into him a she took a step forward. "So, you don't think I look good Gohan?"

"N-No it's not like that Kora! You're really attractive I swear! Please don't hurt me!" Gohan cowered while Kora approached him. She gave him a sweet smile. "That's good Gohan. I don't exactly take kindly to insults about my looks." Gohan gulped and nodded eagerly. Super saiyan or not, women were still scary.

Still smiling, Kora took his arm and led out him out the door, her terrifying demeanor replaced by a carefree expression. Bulma finally let out a loud laugh once the two teenagers were gone. "Vegeta, I thought saiyans didn't care about their looks?"

The prince paused his meal and grunted in response. "Hormones."

Bulma giggled uncontrollably at his response.

* * *

Sharpener almost fell out of his chair when his eyes fell on the new transfer student as she walked into the classroom. He leaned over next to Gohan and whispered in his ear. "Oh man, I really hope that chick is single."

"I wouldn't get your hopes up Sharp."

Sharpener was about to ask why, when Kora made her introduction.

"Hello. My name is Kora. My interests are food and martial arts. My likes are food, martial arts, and…." She blushed and looked at the ground. "Son Gohan." Sharpener actually fell out of his chair at that. Gohan just gave him a goofy smile and waved to Kora as she walked up and took the empty seat to Gohan's right.

Noticing Gohan's unfazed reaction, Erasa bent down and whispered in Sharpeners ear. "Wow, Gohan's really clueless. I can't believe he doesn't get it."

Sharpener just shrugged in response. "I just can't believe he knew such a babe and kept it from me all this time."

"Why would that matter when you could look at me all day?" Erasa joked playfully.

Sharpener blushed and sat on his seat. "I guess."

Videl eyed the newcomer closely as she interacted with Gohan. Kora had certainly caught the crimefighter's attention with that….surprising introduction. She likes Son Gohan eh? Well Videl supposed everyone had a unique taste…. Still, she found it weird. What was it about Gohan that attracted so many people to him?

The rest of class she kept an eye as Gohan engaged in a conversation with Erasa, Kora, and Sharpener. From the looks of it, the new student had fit in surprisingly well with Videl's old friends. She scowled as her envy bubbled to the surface. How dare they have a good time without her?

She turned her back to the four conversing teens and smiled at Lily. "Lil, do you want to get something to eat after school? I'm thinking ice cream." The girl recoiled in shock as if Videl had suggested a murder. "Didn't I tell you I was on a diet? Ice cream is sure to make me fatter!"

Videl sighed and put her head down on her desk. Erasa was just as fit as Lily, but she never passed down an invitation for ice cream. Until she started avoiding Videl, that is. Since yesterday, Erasa hadn't even looked at her. It was getting frustrating for the crimefighter, so she was glad that her communicator went off when it did. She could use something to get her mind off of her current situation.

' _Videl, we've got a situation at the Mors Tower.'_

"What is it chief?"

' _There's someone at the top of the building and it looks like they're gonna jump unless we fulfill their demand.'_

"Hang tight chief, I'll be there in a few."

Gohan overheard the commotion from his spot a few seats down. He waited for Videl to exit the room before promptly standing up and glancing at the teacher. The teacher let out a sigh and motioned for him to go. Making a big show about his need to use the restroom, Gohan raced out of the classroom.

Kora watched the interaction with a raised eyebrow. She certainly hadn't expected Videl and Gohan to just, leave in the middle of class. Her curiosity kicked in as she stood up while Erasa was talking to her and promptly left the room without telling anyone what she was doing.

The two blonds watched at her, surprised at her actions. Sharpener turned towards Erasa with an amused smile. "Looks like someone's gone off looking for Saiyaman."

Erasa giggled and turned back towards the lecturer. "This class just keeps getting more and more interesting."

* * *

Gohan cursed his luck repeatedly as he hovered in the air next to Videl's jetcopter as Videl shrieked at the person at the top of the tower. And of course that person was none other than Angela herself.

"GET OFF THE TOWER YOU FLOOZY!" Wailed Videl as her frustration started to mount. First, her friends started ignoring her, and now she was stuck trying to talk this bitch from jumping off a damn building. If it wasn't her job, Videl would've let her jump long ago.

"I'm not budging until Saiyaman declared his undying love for me!" Cried the redhead dramatically. Gohan cursed his luck for what seemed like the thousandth time that day. Surely the news choppers swarming around them had picked up on Angela's ultimatum. His fears were validated when the big screens on nearby buildings started broadcasting the situation with the caption, ' _Trouble in Paradise? Woman threatens to jump unless Saiyaman declares his love for her!'_

And if that wasn't bad enough, Kora's ki was rapidly approaching from the school. Gohan sighed. He had to get this over with before Kora got here and Videl recognized her. He floated towards Angela and crossed his arms. He tried to intimidate her with his killing intent, but she stood firm, clearly not affected. Instead, it seemed like his intimidation had the opposite of the desired effect as she flushed red and held an arm out, beckoning him towards her.

"ANGELA I SWEAR THAT AS SOON AS WE GET OFF THIS DAMN TOWER I'M GOING TO WHIP YOUR ASS IF YOU DON'T GET OFF RIGHT FUCKING NOW!" Roared Videl, her patience completely broken. Gohan flinched at her voice, which in turn startled the redhead as she lost her grip on her perch and stumbled off the building, screaming in terror.

Videl's eyes widened in panic as she attempted to somehow descend with her jetcopter, but the thing wasn't meant to descend rapidly. Luckily, Gohan shot down, hurtling past a flailing Angela before catching her. The redhead writhed in terror on his back, but she calmed down as he slowed their descent, before landing on the ground.

It didn't take log for Angela to notice all of the news cameras trained on the duo. She slid off his back and sauntered around him before facing him like nothing happened. She attempted to pull him into a kiss, but Gohan had noticed the cameras too. He stopped her with his arm and frowned at her. "You're lucky I saved you in time. Don't ever try something like that again." Angela mistook his concerned tone for affection and tried to kiss him again. Gohan wouldn't budge his arm however. "I'm not in love with you. Please, don't delude yourself with ideas like this. I can't and won't love you."

Angela glared at him as the cameras picked everything up. She turned around to the news camera with a petulant smirk on her face. "I have something to announce in regards to Saiyamans personal identity…."

* * *

 **Oh man, I feel bad for leaving off on a cliffhanger like that. Anyways, man Angela is starting to piss me off, and I'm the writer! I can't imagine how much you guys probably hate her for tormenting poor Gohan. Also, Kora makes her debut in this chapter. For those of you that are worried, THIS IS STILL A GOHAN X VIDEL FIC. But it's going to take them a while to get together, and there's a lot of stuff that happens before it happens. Kora is one of those things. I'll start to develop Kora as a character and her relationship with Gohan next chapter. She'll get pretty involved in the next arc or two, so she'll be sticking around.**

 **SSBKaioKen**


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